Shrimp with Garlic and Jalapeño Butter
By Diep TranPublished on February 22, 2023
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup kosher salt for brining1 tablespoon baking soda for brining2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon sugar 1½ teaspoons pepper ⅔ cup potato starch, divided1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into ¾-inch pieces3 tablespoons minced garlic 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
Before You Begin
We prefer untreated shrimp—those not treated with sodium or additives such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). Most frozen E-Z peel shrimp have been treated (the ingredient list should tell you). Serve with rice and sliced cucumber.
Instructions
- Combine 2 quarts cold water, ¼ cup salt, and baking soda in large bowl and whisk until salt is dissolved. Add shrimp and let soak for 20 minutes. Combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and pepper in small bowl; set aside.
- Transfer shrimp to colander and rinse well with cold water. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and transfer to large mixing bowl. Sprinkle ⅓ cup potato starch over shrimp and toss to coat. Add remaining ⅓ cup potato starch and toss until shrimp are well coated. Transfer shrimp to rimmed baking sheet, shaking off any excess starch.
- Line large mixing bowl with paper towels. Add oil to 12-inch skillet until it measures about ¾ inch deep. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 400 degrees. Add half of shrimp to skillet, spacing them so they don't touch. Fry until lightly golden and crisp, 60 to 90 seconds per side.
- Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fried shrimp to prepared bowl. (Exterior of shrimp should be crisp when tapped. If not, return shrimp to oil and fry for another 15 seconds on both sides.) Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add jalapeños and fish sauce mixture and cook, stirring often, until sugar is melted and sauce just comes to boil, about 30 seconds.
- Remove paper towels from bowl with shrimp. Pour sauce over shrimp and sprinkle with scallion greens. Toss until shrimp are evenly coated in sauce. Transfer to serving platter. Serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
¼ cup kosher salt for brining
1 tablespoon baking soda for brining
2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons pepper
⅔ cup potato starch, divided
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
¼ cup kosher salt for brining
1 tablespoon baking soda for brining
2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons pepper
⅔ cup potato starch, divided
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
¼ cup kosher salt for brining
1 tablespoon baking soda for brining
2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons pepper
⅔ cup potato starch, divided
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is patterned after the House Special Shrimp at the now-closed Royal Capital Seafood Restaurant, located in the Little Saigon district of Garden Grove, California, where flash-fried shrimp get tossed in a buttery, umami-rich garlic-jalapeño sauce. (Learn more here.) Brining the shrimp in water, salt, and baking soda ensured that they remained plump and juicy during the high-temperature frying process. A dredge in potato starch imparted a light, ultracrispy crust that held up long after being in contact with the sauce. Finally, tossing the fried shrimp in a mixture of garlic-jalapeño butter, lime juice, and fish sauce made them rich, vibrant, and irresistibly savory.
Before You Begin
We prefer untreated shrimp—those not treated with sodium or additives such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). Most frozen E-Z peel shrimp have been treated (the ingredient list should tell you). Serve with rice and sliced cucumber.
Instructions
- Combine 2 quarts cold water, ¼ cup salt, and baking soda in large bowl and whisk until salt is dissolved. Add shrimp and let soak for 20 minutes. Combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and pepper in small bowl; set aside.
- Transfer shrimp to colander and rinse well with cold water. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and transfer to large mixing bowl. Sprinkle ⅓ cup potato starch over shrimp and toss to coat. Add remaining ⅓ cup potato starch and toss until shrimp are well coated. Transfer shrimp to rimmed baking sheet, shaking off any excess starch.
- Line large mixing bowl with paper towels. Add oil to 12-inch skillet until it measures about ¾ inch deep. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 400 degrees. Add half of shrimp to skillet, spacing them so they don't touch. Fry until lightly golden and crisp, 60 to 90 seconds per side.
- Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fried shrimp to prepared bowl. (Exterior of shrimp should be crisp when tapped. If not, return shrimp to oil and fry for another 15 seconds on both sides.) Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add jalapeños and fish sauce mixture and cook, stirring often, until sugar is melted and sauce just comes to boil, about 30 seconds.
- Remove paper towels from bowl with shrimp. Pour sauce over shrimp and sprinkle with scallion greens. Toss until shrimp are evenly coated in sauce. Transfer to serving platter. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments